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Ask HN: Any startups focusing on US non-immigrants?

by saradhi on 2/20/23, 7:50 PM with 25 comments

With the recent layoffs (that hurt H-1B visa & GC status) and the long waiting for the US Visa interview appointments in the countries like India & Canada, it seems, there are barriers to entry into the US and maintaining the status. Are they any startups, especially from non-immigrants, that address these pain points?

  • by hideo on 2/21/23, 2:12 AM

    Maybe I’m missing the point - all these issues are because of various governments’ policies. how could startups possibly address immigration policy problems? I can’t think of any way a startup could e.g. help someone waiting months for a visa appointment.

  • by culopatin on 2/21/23, 3:56 AM

    Do you want a startup to give you some special privilege above everyone else trying to get in the country? What makes you think the people laid off the tech sector are the main group of people waiting for visas or even the main concern of the immigration office? If anything you were the most privileged and had an awesome opportunity.

  • by ravagat on 2/22/23, 1:34 PM

    The barriers to entry and constant status maintenance are well worth it and are set up exactly the way they are for good reason. I don't think there are any startups that explicitly address these pain points. It's likely impossible since they are largely policies in or around government.

    In terms of waitlists and queues increasing, which is what has essentially been a lack of control and adoption to an ever growing number, I don't think a startup could feasibly rise as a business in order to address these pain points. If anything offering a system solution to a publicly unknown problem that could be adopted at scale is a great challenge and one that could and should be invested into. But the root problem isn't known publicly and/or is too complicated and entirely not software/tech solvable.

    I think this is also why the rise of companies aimed at efficiency that are in some way related to these immigration pain points like Flexport(logistics), Rippling(HR), deel(HR/PEO), Stripe/Modern Treasury/Adyen(finance), Exec (coaching),Replit(edu/dev tool) and others I'm missing, continue to gain prominence, funding, and adoption.

  • by tacostakohashi on 2/20/23, 10:12 PM

    > there are barriers to entry into the US and maintaining the status

    Yes, that's the whole point!

  • by killingtime74 on 2/21/23, 8:55 PM

    Yes it's called a migration lawyer...

  • by 908B64B197 on 2/20/23, 9:00 PM

    > Canada

    Why does Canada have a long wait time? Population is smaller than California.